Triplicity -- YA Contemporary Fiction by J. Mercer -- One week on an Alaskan cruise, three teens, and an endless trail of lies. -- ***New Release -- A Guest Post by the Author: Find out her tips for new writers -- Giveaway***

Triplicity by J. Mercer

Genre: YA Contemporary Fiction

Release Date: January 2019

One week on an Alaskan cruise, three teens, and an endless trail of lies.

Enter a series of thefts on board and they all fall under scrutiny. Though Navy acts a proper preacher’s daughter, she did end up with someone else’s purse in her hands, and Jesse knows way more than he should about what’s gone missing. Isaiah, however, is the one with motive—enough money and he could get back to his ranch. Each holds a piece of the truth, but exposing the thief could damn them all. They must navigate through the lies they’ve told, choose between standing together or saving themselves, and decide if innocence is worth facing their ugliest secrets.

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***A Guest Post by J. Mercer***
Tips for New Writers

Sometimes learning how to write can feel like juggling a million things you’re supposed to do while at the same time crossing your fingers. On top of that, I think plenty of us feel emotional and vulnerable when we first start putting pen to paper. Unfortunately, that emotional vulnerability doesn’t necessarily go away, though it does disappear to an extent. But that’s my first tip for you! Embrace it – embrace all that depth you’re yearning to get out, because it will breathe more life into your writing than if you work against it.

That’s not my most important tip, however. I think my most important tip is to be patient. Be patient with yourself, your craft, and your story. Authors want to query yesterday, and I get it, but often when we first think we’re ready, we’re not. Take the time to step away from your novel and go back with fresh eyes – I guarantee you’ll find some things you want to fix. This might happen multiple times, and when you finally don’t find anything, that’s when it’s ready for an agent to see.

Be patient with yourself too, if you’re burned out and need a break. I don’t subscribe to write every day or you’ll never be a writer. No, you can’t put it off on a regular basis and think you’re going to get much done, but if you are spent, there are other writerly things to do that will help your brain and creativity more than strong-arming words onto a page. That tends to be my life philosophy though – to work smart and efficiently, to work with my moods and my productive times, and not to push push push when things aren’t feeling good. So take that as you may.

Also, you must be patient with your craft. I’ve found that you can retain a ton of information from a class or conference, but when you’re actually writing, only one of those great pieces of advice can be incorporated at a time. You’ll have to think about one thing until you don’t anymore, and then another, and then another, until eventually, believe it or not, they’ll all (or almost all) come naturally, and writing will no longer feel like juggling a million things you’re supposed to do while crossing your fingers.

Next, be patient with your story too. It’s hard to slow down sometimes, but slowing down the writing process itself, slowing down the scene to the right pacing, will help color in the shades for your readers. This can be in drafting or revising, but it has to happen somewhere, even with action novels. Because if you’re moving too fast, you’re going to miss something and your readers will feel it.

So, give yourself the time and space to grow by being patient, and by allowing your craft and story to evolve over time. Your work will be richer and you’ll fight with yourself less. Finally, and most importantly, be kind to yourself. Writing is not an easy road, and no matter what it looks like from where you sit, it wasn’t easy for anyone else, either!

About the Author

J Mercer grew up in Wisconsin where she walked home from school with her head in a book, filled notebooks with stories in junior high, then went to UW Madison for accounting and psychology only to open a dog daycare. She wishes she were an expert linguist, is pretty much a professional with regards to competitive dance hair (bunhawk, anyone?), and enjoys exploring with her husband—though as much as she loves to travel, she’s also an accomplished hermit. Perfect days include cancelled plans, rain, and endless hours to do with what she pleases.

For updates and news, you can find her on Facebook, but she’s more often on Instagram, talking about what she’s reading and other bookish things. Go there for book recommendations, reading-inspired writing tips, or even to read along. If you prefer everything delivered directly to your inbox, click here to get on the email list.

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